A FATHER of three from Coventry has been jailed for 12 years after smuggling cocaine worth #2.5 million through the Channel Tunnel.

Henry John, of North Street, Stoke Heath, was arrested after customs men unearthed 26 packets of the Class A drug hidden in a mattress in the cab of his lorry.

Canterbury Crown Court in Kent heard that 15.71kg of pure cocaine was found as the 36-year-old trucker arrived at the UK control zone on January 12 with a load of Land Rover parts.

Silas Reid, prosecuting, claimed that in interview, John said he had met a man called Dave and an Indian man who asked him to carry packages of cannabis from Belgium in return for #10,000 plus one of the packets for himself.

He added that during the previous year or two, John had been importing tobacco for Dave on numerous occasions and had been paid #500 to #1,300 a trip.

Mr Reid added John had now admitted he knew he was carrying cocaine and also said his payment was to be just the #10,000.

John pleaded guilty to smuggling the cocaine and a small quantity of cannabis.

David Hughes, in mitigation, said John was not a major organiser but a basic courier and hard-working family man who had made an "error of judgment".

Judge Michael O'Sullivan, sentencing him, told him drugs were a curse bringing untold misery to users, their families and friends and the community at large because most crime was drug-related.

He added: "I treat you as a courier which is an important part in the trafficking enterprise."